I
Joy, dd9, wrote this piece for a writing assignment early this year. I thought she had given some nifty descriptions of the situation, writing from a first person’s point of view. Well, enjoy!
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The Terrible Plague of London
I wasn’t going to celebrate my birthday in 1665. My mind rang with the same thing : It has arrived! The great plague has arrived! It’s evening and as I went to bed, the rumble of wheels trundle into my mind’s ear. Another 20 people have made a pathway into the sky, leaving us alone. Till now, my family is still safe from the jaws of death.
“Kirsten! Listen carefully now. I want you to cover yourself and go to Gwyneth’s bakery and take home 2 loaves of bread. Hurry! ”
I scurried along to the bakery, wishing that someone would draw the curtains between life and death, wishing that Mother hadn’t sent me on this gruesome paved errand. My nose picked up a strong scent of sulfur which caused my feet to lose control and topple me flat against a child, still healthy (thank God).
A few minutes later, I was in the shop. I flung the coins into a bowl of …what was that liquid anyway? Vinegar! Uggh! I scuttled to eavesdrop on a conversation between two men. Mother says it’s evil to eavesdrop but I think I won’t hear badly of myself, since the lecture is about the plague.
“Yes Kerl, indeed! The doctors…”
“Their funny costume…yes, Frederich, go on.”
“Yes…no…yes…and the leather bird mask is filled with herbs.”
Kerl added to his friend’s speech. “And the medicine does a fat lot of good as well as burning herbs and bonfires.”
That was all the information I needed for inquisitive 10 year old Jesheka, one year older than I was.
When I reached the door of dread, my father was bending over to burn several herbs. I let out a cry , recognizing that some fellow in my house had the plague.
“Lewis!” I cried.
“Nay girl,” said father, “T’is Angus.”
Angus , my brother in all but blood. I heard a brush scraping on our door. Angus’ parents had been swept away by the dark curtain of death and since then, Angus stayed with us. Lewis was Angus’ twin brother, but unlike him, had no delight in animals.
Soon, the doctor came. He was wearing the odd costume the two men had described,
‘Are you a real man, or a hawk?” asked Jesheka.
T’was rude of Jesheka but that jolly old doctor smiled and said, “Hawk.”
That kind soul brought laughter back into our family.
The doctor, or Linkenel, stayed with us for a week and no black spots appeared on Angus.
“He lives!” croaked poor Linkenel, “He (hiccup) lives!”
Soon, Angus , Jesheka and I were able to play in Angus’ room. Lewis called us babies but that really does not matter. The room of waiting burst open into a spring bud. “
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